Penny pinchers demolish automated loo

In many continental cities and more remote places, automatic loos are immaculate and a godsend for those caught short.

That is not the case in Arran, and in particular Whiting Bay, where, on Tuesday, North Ayrshire Council (NAC) contractors demolished an automated public convenience which is less than 20 years old.

The job proved tougher than expected. At first workmen used a crane to try to lift the redundant enclosure straight out of the ground but the upper concrete part snapped off leaving the porcelain appliance and its associated electronics sitting proud.